Insulated rail-joint



E. F. SCHERMERHORN.

' INSULATED RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14. 19:9.

,1 ,320,7 1 2. Patented Nov. 4, 1919.

chermerrll -UNITED gTATEd PATENT FER.

EDWARDS F. SCI-IERMERl-IORN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE RAIL JOINT COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF'NEW YORK.

INSULATED RAIL-JOINT.

Application filed June 14, 191.9.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Enwnnns F. Sonne- MERHORN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Insulated Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in insulation for rail joints, and has particularly in view a practical use of the insulating material in such a manner as to not only insure a thorough insulation of the joint, but also to obtain a most economical use of the insulating material.

Accordingly, two principal objects are achieved by the present invention. One of these objects is to obtain a very economical use of the insulating material and to arrange such material to the best possible ad vantage for effectively insulating the joint. A second object is to utilize a simple form of insulating unit having an attachment merely to the head part of the joint bar in such a way as to securely hold the insulating unit against displacement and also presenting a metal chafing guard next to the rail head which prevents the mashing or crushing out of the insulating material and also protects the insulation from the weather. Furthermore, the insulating unit referred to is so intimately clasped to the head of the bar to in effect constitute a part of the bar itself so that the insulation is shielded in a manner that would prevent it from becom ing severed or ruptured from the action of irregular wheel load thrusts or loose joint parts and will be subjected to more equal compression and wear than ordinarily.

A general object in connection with the foregoing is to provide a practically weather sealed insulation for the head of'the bar above the joint bolt.

With the above and other objects in View which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view showing the improved joint insulation.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 4, 1919.

Serial No. 304,272.

Fig. 2 is a sectional perspective view of a joint rbar having the novel head insulating unit applied thereto.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

One of the distinctive features of the present invention is a novel form of insulating unit and the manner of applying it to the head of the joint bar, but it is proposed to employ this unit in combination with a base piece of insulation which will secure the most economical use of the insulating material. Accordingly, in carrying forward the present invention it is proposed to employ in combination with the rail R and the joint bar 1, an insulating unit designated by the letter U which is fitted to the head of the bar above the joint bolts and a separate base piece of insulation 2 lying entirely below the joint bolts and interposed between the foot of the joint bar and the upper side of the base flange of the rail. These separate insulating units, when properly positioned are sufficient to provide for the effective insulation of the joint in connection with the usual bolt insulation, and by having the upper insulating unit U properly weathersealed it will be seen that a very desirable and effective means for insulating the parts of rail joint is provided.

Referring particularly to the insulating unit U carried by the head of the joint bar 1, it will be observed that the entire unit is fitted to and carried with the joint bar and lies in a plane wholly above theline of the joint bolts. As shown in the drawings, the insulation 3 of the unit U completely surrounds the head of the joint bar, and is preferably held in place by means of the metal chafing guard or plate 4. which firmly clasps the said insulation to the bar. This metal chafing guard plate is primarily a cap which completely surrounds and covers the entire insulation 3, and provides a metallic rail contacting surface at the head of the bar while at the same time fully protects the insulation from the disintegrating action due to the movement of the joint parts under wheel loads, and also thoroughly protects the same from weather conditions. Thus the plate 4 constitutes an eflicient shield or protector for the insulation and provides a weather sealed insulated unit with augmented life and wear resisting qualities.

By reason of the relatively channeled or substantially inverted U-shaped formation of the chafing guard it will be apparent that the opposite wings 5 thereof may exert sufiicient pressure against the insulation 3 to firmly hold the same in place on the head, of the joint bar.- In this connection it is to be observed that the unit U possesses special utility in its application to a joint bar having an inner and an outer head projection or rib which provide opposite shoulders, beneath which the side edges of the insulation 3 may be clenched by the wings 5 of the metallic chafing guard.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present joint insulation essentially consists of the composite insulating unit U for the head of the bar and the insulating piece 2 for the foot of the bar, and because of the fact that the unit U may be applied to the bar before it leaves the shop, considerable time is saved in the handling of the joint bars and insulation parts, since only the base piece 2 needs to be assembled apart from the placing of the joint bar carrying the insulating head unit in position. The application of the present unit of head insulation to the joint bar may therefore be shop work and not field work, which h as the advantage of simplicity, avoidance of manifold loose parts, ease of application, as well as durability due to the shielded and protected character of the insulation which is subjected to the greatest wear.

It is within the scope of the present invention to mold the insulation 3 of the unit U directly on the head of the joint bar, and also have the metal chafing guard or plate 4: cemented to the insulation, thereby making a firm and strong head-insulating unit which is in effect one integral piece, thereby further conserving the advantages heretofore set forth for this part of the joint insulation. The distinctive structural. characteristics of the unit U make the molding of the insulation 3 about the head of the joint baran entirely feasible and practical means for insulating the head of the joint bar.

In connection with the unit U for insulating the head of the bar and the base insula tion :2 for the foot thereof, it is also proposed to employ a suitable insulating washer 6 and ferrule 7 for insulating the joint bolt. This insulation is conventional, but however, is necessary for effecting the complete electricalinsulation of the joint.

1. An insulated rail joint including in combination with the rail and the joint bar, an insulating unit for the head of the bar comprising two similar superimposed cap pieces of insulation and of metal lying entirely above the joint bolts, and respectively engaging the bar head and the head of the rail, and a separate base piece of insulation below arranged between the foot of the bar and the rail flange.

2. An insulated rail oint including in combination with the rail a joint bar having inner and outer head projections, an insulating unit for the head of the bar comprising a cap-piece of insulation fitting the bar head, and a cap piece of metal also fitting the bar head and interposed between the cap piece of insulation and the under side of the rail head, the edge portions of the two cap pieces being held beneath the head projections.

3. An insulated rail joint including in combination with the rail a joint bar having a head with shoulders at its inner and outer sides, an insulating unit for the head of the bar comprising suitable superimposed cap pieces of insulation and of metal having their edge portions engaged beneath said shoulders.

4:. An insulated rail joint including in combination with the rail a joint bar having a shouldered head, an insulating unit for the head of the'bar comprising an insulation piece molded to the head and engaging its shouldered portion and a metal cap piece covering said insulation and cemented thereto.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDIVARDS F. SCHERMERHORN.

Witnesses:

KATHERINE MONALLY, E. K. KERSHNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0." 

